1,966 research outputs found
Letteratura cinese. Zhuangzi
No full textL'incontro propone un avvicinamento al filosofo della Cina antica Zhuangzi, attraverso letture recitate da attori della Compagnia Teatrale Chapati e spiegazioni corredate di suggestioni visuali tratte dal fumetto Zhuangzi, di Cai Zhizhong
Chiara Lubich, Meditazioni: letteratura come relazione
No full textChiara Lubich (1920–2008), although the author of 32 books published in 26 countries (178 editions, 3.2 million copies), is better known for her social engagement, as reflected in numerous awards. She began to be regarded as a literary author only in the early 2000s, and primarily from a linguistic rather than literary perspective. This article focuses on her book Meditazioni (Meditations), reconstructs its genesis by tracing the writing process from the late 1950s to her death and the 2021 critical edition, and offers a literary analysis. This reveals Lubich as a forerunner of a new conception of literature: literature as relationship – not only between author and reader, but also among subject, inspiration, and the editorial process
Global analysis of the genetic and epigenetic contributions to phenotypic plasticity in a wild yeast strain
No full textThe natural M28 Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain, isolated from damaged grapes in Montalcino area (Tuscany), showed a fascinating 2:2 segregation of two unlinked loci: the recessive resistance to a toxic analogue of leucine (5’5’5 trifloroleucine, TFL) and the morphotype. Two of the four M28 meiotic products (spores) in fact grow as smooth colonies while the other two exhibit complex structured filigreed colonies. In this work, preliminary phenotypic investigations demonstrated the uniqueness of the M28 system since the four meiotic products displayed a remarkable phenotypic variability concerning the ability to generate pseudohyphal structures or to invade solid substrates. Additionally, we showed that each spore is able to spontaneously and reversibly switch between the two described morphotypes at high frequencies. Seduced by this puzzling system where Mendelian and Lamarckian theories seems to be reconciled we started a global investigation of the genetic, proteomic and chromatin profiles across the four spores. Using cutting-edge mass spectrometry and sequencing technologies we obtained the following results:
i) we confirmed the genetic determinant of the TFL-phenotype additionally illustrating how this loss of function can massively reshape the amino acid metabolism through the alteration of chromatin accessibility via histone modifications (trimethylation of lysine 4 of histone H3 and acetylation of histone H4);
ii) we demonstrated there are no genetic polymorphisms segregating with the morphotype but rather we identified few epialleles segregating 2:2 with the morphotype;
iii) for the first time we showed the extensive epigenome variability among four meiotic products of a natural S. cerevisiae strain;
iv) we found structural protein rearrangements in several prion-like proteins during the dimorphic transition from filigreed to smooth and vice-versa and showed that for Hrp1 protein this switch is accompanied by a significant change in the number of cells per population bearing the Hrp1p-aggregate.
These results evidenced that both genetic and epigenetic contributions are affecting the phenotypic plasticity in the M28 system proposing an update of the “genome renewal” theory that introduces chromatin reshaping as a rapid adaptive mechanism allowing the appearance of new stable and potentially advantageous traits in the progeny of diploid strains
Speech intelligibility and listening effort in university classrooms for native and non-native Italian listeners
No full textListening effort describes the allocation of attentional and cognitive resources for successful listening. In adverse conditions, the mental demands for listening increase, interfering with other cognitive functions. This is especially relevant in learning spaces, where complex tasks that recruit more cognitive resources (e.g. memorization of information and comprehension) are performed by the students. This study focuses on the case of university classrooms and investigates the effects of different types of masking noise on both speech intelligibility and listening effort. Speech-in-noise tests in the Italian language were presented to 25 young adults with normal hearing (13 native and 12 non-native listeners) within an existing university classroom located in Bozen-Bolzano (Italy). The tests were presented in three listening conditions (quiet, stationary noise, and fluctuating noise), grouping the listeners around two locations within the classroom. The task performance was assessed using both speech intelligibility and two proxy measures of listening effort: response time and subjective ratings of effort. Longer response times and higher subjective ratings were taken to reflect increased listening effort. Results in noisy conditions were compared to the quiet condition. A disadvantage in task accuracy performance was found for non-native compared to native listeners; concerning response time, it was found that when the target signal is masked by a fluctuating noise, additional processing time is requested to non-native listeners compared to their native peers. The interaction was not pointed out by subjective ratings, supporting the hypothesis of a different sensitivity to listening conditions of the two proxy measures of listening effort
Using listening effort assessment in the acoustical design of rooms for speech
No full textThis study addresses the issue of an enhanced acoustical design of rooms for speech, which besides targeting high speech intelligibility also ensures minimal effort in speech reception. Speech-in-noise tests in the Italian language were proposed to normal-hearing young adults, both in situ, within an existing university classroom, and via headphones, using auralized signals obtained from acoustic simulations of the same environment. Later, auralization was used to investigate the effect of realistic modifications to the room acoustics (acoustical treatment of a wall, change of the room size) by altering the virtual model of the classroom. The speech reception performance was characterized by using both the number of words correctly recognized (speech intelligibility, IS) and two estimates of listening effort: the behavioral measure of response time (RT) and a subjective judgement on a rating scale (LE). Firstly, the correspondence between the IS, RT and LE results in situ and in auralized conditions was considered and discussed. Then, the effectiveness of the three metrics in outlining the effect of the acoustic changes of the room was analyzed. The results showed that there were no differences between the compared acoustic conditions in terms of IS. The effects of the characteristics of the room acoustics were instead discriminated when RT and LE were considered, with the greatest number of significant differences observed by using RT. Using RT therefore seems to be an effective and promising strategy to better discern the effects of the room acoustics and to enhance the acoustical design of rooms for speech
On The Enhanced Acoustic Design Of The Indoor Environments: Correspondence Of Perceptual Quantities Between Real And Simulated Sound Fields
No full textIn the design of indoor spaces where speech communication takes on a central role (e.g., classrooms, conference rooms…), the influence of the sound environment on the occupants’ performance needs to be addressed. In order to guarantee a comfortable communication experience, the acoustic design of such spaces have to ensure, beside a high percentage of correctly heard words (i.e., intelligibility), also a minimal effort in the speech reception process. An effortful listening, as produced for instance by the presence of background noise and/or reverberation, requires the involvement of an increased amount of cognitive resources, and, if sustained over a prolonged period may compromise occupants’ learning and cognitive achievements. The present study specifically addresses the issue of an improved acoustical design of the rooms for speech, based on both intelligibility and listening effort results. For the scope, the correspondence between the results of speech-in-noise tests presented within an existing university classroom and via headphones, using auralized signals obtained from acoustic simulations of the same environment is investigated. In fact, whereas the reliability of acoustical simulations has been widely confirmed as regards the predicted objective acoustic parameters, and the speech intelligibility data, to date an ecological validation of the listening effort metrics is still lacking, and is needed to understand how well results obtained by virtual acoustics predict the everyday realistic communication situations. Simulations of a university classroom with a volume of 198 m3 and acoustical treatment on a lateral wall were carried out with an acoustical CAD software. In order to obtain realistic simulations, the model was calibrated with octave-band field measurements of reverberation and clarity parameters. Binaural impulse responses (BRIRs) were calculated in two listening positions within the classroom, and convolved with anechoic speech and stationary noise, to obtain the auralized stimuli for the speech-in-noise tests. Speech and noise sound pressure levels were calibrated with reference to the values measured during the in situ tests. Consonant confusion tests (Diagnostic Rhyme Tests) in the Italian language were proposed to normal-hearing young adults. The tests were firstly presented in the real classroom, and then in laboratory conditions, via headphones. During the experiments, data on the number of words correctly recognized, auditory response times (RT, behavioral measure of listening effort) and subjective ratings of listening effort (LE) were collected. The statistical analyses showed that both IS and RT data in auralized conditions matched the corresponding results obtained with in situ testing; the RT metric showed a greater sensitivity than IS, being able to discriminate between the listening position within the classroom. As concern LE, the results were found to depend on the mode of presentation, suggesting that beside the auditory stimulus other factors (e.g., attention, experimental setup…) affect the subjective response. Based on the comparison of the results in auralized and in situ conditions, it can be said that the auralization techniques allow to recreate perceptually equivalent environments as regards the IS and RT measures, and that the integration of the two metrics would be of benefit the acoustical design process
Listening efficiency in university classrooms: a comparison between native and non-native listeners
No full textWhen listening to speech in one’s native language a higher intelligibility is expected than when listening in a second language: perceptual and linguistic cues readily available for native listeners may be only partly accessed by non-native ones. In this study, the effects of different types of background noises on speech reception performance are compared between native and non-native listeners. Diagnostic Rhyme Tests (DRT) in the Italian language were proposed inside a university classroom of 198 m3, with a reverberation time in occupied conditions of 0.6 s, complying with the target value suggested by the German DIN18041 standard. A group of 26 normal-hearing young adults participated in the experiment: half of them native (Italian), the other half non-native (German) speakers. Listeners’ performance was assessed in three acoustic conditions (ventilation system, stationary, and fluctuating maskers) collecting data on speech intelligibility and response time. The interplay of perceptual and cognitive process in the speech reception process was then described by using the combined metric of listening efficiency
Comparison between simulated and in-situ measured speech intelligibility in the multilingual context of the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano
No full textClassrooms acoustics can affect students ́ speech intelligibility and learning performance depending on its background noise level and/or reverberation. Speech intelligibility is usually assessed in real classrooms through a subjective approach, by performing speech intelligibility tests, or through an objective approach, by evaluating speech transmission index (STI) from impulse response, speech and noise level measurements. Acoustic simulation technique makes it possible to assess acoustical conditions for speech reception in virtual environments, thus allowing for predicting intelligibility before a classroom is built or renovated. However, in order to obtain reliable results, the simulation model needs to be calibrated and validated with in-situ measurements.
The aim of this work is to compare tests performed in-situ on a group of people, with tests performed on the same people by reproducing the auralized test signal through headphones, in terms of intelligibility scores (IS), response times (RT), listening efficiency values (DE) and related STI values.
Simulations have been carried out using the room acoustic software Odeon version 14.01.
The investigation focused on a university classroom, which is part of the Classroom Spaces Living Lab of the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, currently equipped with devices for monitoring energy and indoor comfort conditions, as well as detailed external weather conditions. By exploiting the bilingual context in South Tyrol, Diagnostic Rhyme Tests (DRT) in the Italian language were administered to both Italian and German native speaker students, the latter with an Italian level at least equal to B2, according to the common European framework of reference for languages. In this way, speech reception performance of the two groups has been investigated and compared
Listening efficiency in real and simulated university classrooms
No full textThe present study examines how reverberation, background noise level and type, affect both speech reception performance and the perceived effort of students in a university classroom. The classroom has a volume of 198 m3 and a reverberation time in occupied conditions of 0.6 s, complying with the target value of the DIN 18041 standard. Diagnostic Rhyme Tests (DRT) in the Italian language were proposed to a group of 26 normal-hearing young adults: half of them native (Italian), the other half non-native (German) speakers. Data on speech intelligibility (SI) and response time (RT) were collected. The two quantities were combined in the joint metric of listening efficiency, effectively describing the interplay of perceptual and cognitive processes in speech reception performance. The experiment took firstly place in situ, where the distinct effects a speech-shaped stationary noise and a fluctuating (ICRA) noise with the same short-term STI were determined. Afterwards, acoustic simulations of the classroom setting were carried out, and the resulting binaural impulse responses used for laboratory experiments with headphones. Simulations and in-situ measurements were compared in terms of STI, SI and RT; then, listening tests under controlled conditions were accomplished with a selection of background noise levels and reverberation times
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